Taking the Dog on Holiday Without Telling the Caravan Site… Am I Mad?!

[oceanmountain]

So I’m going away in a couple of weeks and had a dog sitter all sorted… and now they’ve just cancelled because of a family emergency.

I’ve tried everywhere and can’t find anyone else to take the dog on such short notice, and I really don’t want to cancel the trip and upset the kids. So I was thinking of just taking the dog with me and not telling the caravan site.

Has anyone ever done this? My dog’s tiny and doesn’t shed, so I honestly don’t know how they’d even notice.

My friend said I shouldn't do it but I cant see any other option?

It doesn't work like that, allergens stay in the atmosphere.
Seems from your responses that you've decided and don't care if someone will possibly have an allergic reaction due to your needs.
It does surprise me how many people are all about their wants rather than the actual needs of others.

@oceanmountain
Why did you post? You know you can’t do this, you know they don’t want dogs in the caravan you have booked. Everyone is telling you that you can’t do it. But you’re ignoring all of that and arguing the bit over it, so you’re going to do it anyway. Why did you even bother to post?

Oops wrong thread

I told them mine was a support dog, no problem, no charge
she’s hypo allergenic anyway, doesn’t shed

the only issue was no gate on the decking but we managed with a lead

I had a very similar situation. My sister has always looked after my dogs while we go away (& we looked after her's when she had them) my 10 year old spaniel had never been into kennels. About 3 weeks before we were due to go on holiday my sister fell & broke her shoulder so was unable to look after my dog. We tried very hard to find people to care for her (the dog I mean), but no-one was available so we booked her into a very caring kennels. She had a whale of a time, was spoiled rotten, had more exercise than she gets at home as they have extensive grounds & an indoor play area to run around in & lots of doggy friends to play with.

Since my sister has now developed problems with her hip & knees she can't care for a dog so our little dog goes to the same kennels every time we go away somewhere where we can't take a dog. She's very happy to go with the kennel maid & doesn't even look back at us when we drop her off.

Book your dog into kennels. A good kennels will be willing to have him/her for a half or a whole a day (obviously they will charge) so that you can see how they get on.

If the caravan was on a dog free section and the people next to me to rocked up with a dog, I would definitely report.
You say no-one will notice but cleaners will smell it as soon as the walk in no matter how much febreze you spray

I know and they wonder why dog owners have a bad reputation

Clearly hoping everyone would say it’s fine and go ahead. Absolutely selfish and entitled. I hope they give you a massive cleaning fee.

THIS!!!! ^

Cast your net wider for dog care options. It’s not wise to only have one option as they could let you down again when you need them. What would you do if your holiday was abroad and taking it wasn’t an option?

My 11 year old cat is going into a cattery in a couple of weeks for the first time since we’ve had him. We normally use a cat sitter when we’re away but this time we’re getting renovations done and we think he’ll be safer in a cattery. He won’t like it much, but he’ll be safe and looked after.

Don’t be that person.

You've obviously decided you are taking your dog so you might as well delete your post.

How incredibly selfish and inconsiderate of others you are. People book pet free accommodation because they are allergic, your dog does shed, it will leave a trace behind. I really hope you get dobbed in and forced to leave after 24 hours due to your selfish behaviour.

It's because of guests like you places are starting to inspect cars before entry to certain holiday destinations.

I love dogs but this would be a dick move if you took your dog.
Either find someone else to dog sit or cancel.

If you can't find someone to dog sit, decide to go I hope you get caught in the first few hours and kicked out. Then you can deal with your upset kids.

If you didn’t book a pet friendly caravan then just no!

Call and change it to a pet friendly caravan. Surely that’s the most sensible thing to do?

I completely agree with you, but I think you're mistaking the OP for someone who has any consideration at all for other people, which is clearly not the case.

Don't do it.

Find a home boarder.
Cancel.

Those are your options.

You think your dog doesn't bark, but chances are in an unfamiliar environment of a caravan, all alone, strange noises going on outside, your dog WILL bark.

Typically, caravan/holiday cottages have a strict rule about not leaving dogs unattended in the property - precisely because even dogs that are usually fine at home and don't normally bark, are much more likely to do so in an unfamiliar environment (and of course a much higher risk of damage to the property).

So even if you did have a dog friendly van, you still would not be able to go out in the evening and leave your dog in the van.

Other people have explained the allergy thing - supposedly non-shedding dogs have a lower chance of triggering allergies, but they are not 100% - they do shed hair, skin and saliva particles.

All dogs have to shed hair - hair grows, hair dies, hair comes out of the follicles. But some breeds shed very little, and their coat type means this doesn't fall out much until you brush it out (poodles for example) and some shed copiously and it falls out all over the place and some are in between.

And everyone leaves other particles like skin, saliva, fecal matter, wherever they go (dog, human, orangutan, we all do it.)

You're not doing yourselves, your kids, your dog or anyone else using that van after you, any favours here.

We own a caravan on a Haven site and we do periodically let out. It is not a dog friendly caravan.

We have family that use our caravan that have difficulty breathing and dog dander makes it considerably worse, and dogs do cause property damage whether you care to acknowledge it or not.

It would be extremely disrespectful of you to the caravan owners as many owners are private owners that just let out through their caravan site.

Why do some people not take other peoples allergies seriously?! Allergic reactions can potentially kill people.

If your child had a peanut allergy would you care if the restaurant serving them said “oh it’s only got a tiny bit of peanut in it, it’ll be no trouble!”

Adding myself to the list of people who are confused by the purpose of this thread. You asked for people's opinions but you obviously don't want them. Not a single message agrees with you but you seem totally deaf.

DO NOT TAKE THE DOG UNLESS THE CARAVAN SITE SPECIFICALLY TELLS YOU IN ADVANCE THAT IT IS OKAY AND YOU PAY ANY ADDITIONAL CLEANING FEE THEY ASK FOR

Do you bang on the roofs of cars that try to park near your dog?

I have to say @oceanmountain you do seem intent on taking your dog regardless so I this is just 5 pages of people wasting their time trying to persuade you otherwise.

I guess there is a reason the site offers dog friendly and non dog friendly caravans? DC2 is allergic to dogs - not life threateningly so but I'd be pretty fucked off to know I had booked and paid for a dog free space only for someone to have snuck their dog in.

That said I do sympathise with your plight. Given it's such a quiet, small dog who would go unnoticed is there nobody at home who can look after it? No family of friends who can step in?

How fucking selfish and just sums up what I always think about people who claim their dog is a "support" or "therapy" dog.

Also hugely disrespectful to those who do actually need service dogs.

And I say that as a dog owner who knows where / when my dogs are allowed to be somewhere and doesn't pretend that they are "support" dogs to bypass the rules.

your attitude is terrible. What if the next guest has specifically requested pet free due to allergies. You would be happy with that? Bear in mind you could well be asked to leave if they see you.

Every campsite I've ever been to has been full of bloody dogs!

There’s a big difference between service dogs and the fucking freeloaders who get a free dog for emotional support bollocks

We were once upgraded to a lovely lodge on a site. It had been booked by a family who brought their dog. However the lodge was privately owned and no dogs allowed. The other family had to have our much inferior lodge. Wouldn't chance it myself.